Pack Pride Podcast

On the 20th anniversary of the annual Play 4 Kay Game, No. 14 NC State charged back from a double-digit deficit to claim an 89-83 win over No. 10 Duke. Aziaha James went nuclear in the second half, scoring 27 of her career-high 36 points in the final two quarters to lift the Wolfpack to the dramatic victory. Cory Smith and James Curle break down the win for the Wolfpack, James' massive scoring performance, the emergence of Lorena Awou and the concerns coming from the game heading into a critical stretch. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all that and more!

After climbing back to take the lead in the second half, NC State couldn’t muster up enough offense in a 68-58 loss to Clemson. The Wolfpack got a season-high 24 points from Dontrez Styles, but didn’t have another player score more than eight points and shot below 40 percent as a team yet again in ACC play. Cory Smith and Brian Geisinger discuss the Pack’s sixth straight ACC loss, how Clemson’s defense confounded State in the halfcourt, the continued shooting struggles, Styles’ recent huge performances and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield’s absence. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more.

NC State did everything right for the first 18 minutes inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, but multiple key runs by Duke led to a 74-64 loss for the Wolfpack. The Blue Devils got a 19-0 run to close out the first half and start the second and limited the Pack to just one made basket in its final seven possessions to spread a two-point lead out to a 10-point win at the end. Cory Smith and Miles Masercola discuss the disheartening loss for the Pack, huge performances from Dontrez Styles and Trey Parker, the struggles down the stretch in each half, Cooper Flagg taking over late and where State goes from here. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more!

Despite a Herculean effort to get back in the game, NC State trailed the entire second half and fell to SMU by a final of 63-57. The Wolfpack dropped its fourth straight overall, third straight at home and fell below .500 for the first time all season with its sixth loss in ACC play through the first eight games. Cory Smith and Charlie Gribble discuss the latest loss, how Ben Middlebrooks' foul trouble impacted the first half, Marcus Hill's second-half resurgence as the point guard, the porous offense overall and Paul McNeil's increased minutes and production. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more.

NC State men's basketball dropped two more games to bottom-tier teams in the ACC while the women's team continued to roll to another perfect week. Cory Smith and James Curle will recap the week and look ahead to the upcoming week for both programs. In the second segment, Pack9 legend Sam Highfill will join the show live from Amedeo's to discuss his time with the program -- including two trips to Omaha -- the season ahead for the Wolfpack and the start of his professional career. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all of that and more!

Just when it appeared NC State couldn't sink any lower in ACC play, the Wolfpack lost a home matchup to California. The Wolfpack (9-9, 2-5 ACC) shot 1-of-10 from behind the arc and notched five assists against a Golden Bears squad that had never won an ACC contest on the road -- until Saturday night. Cory Smith and Brian Geisinger break down the loss for the Wolfpack, why State couldn't gain momentum against a porous Cal defense, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield's return, the abysmal three-point shooting, and where the Pack goes from here. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all of that and more.

If at first you don't succeed, brush yourself off and lose again. That's exactly what NC State did on Wednesday with its second straight collapse in Virginia, this time coming in a 79-76 loss to a bad Virginia Tech team. The Wolfpack led by more than two touchdowns again but couldn't find shots late as the Hokies stormed back with a 9-0 run in the final 2:47 of play to hand the Pack another crushing loss on the young season. Cory Smith and Charlie Gribble discuss the Wolfpack's third straight road loss in ACC play and move to 0-4 on the road and 0-6 away from the Lenovo Center. The guys will break down the strong start to the game, the struggles defending the 3-pointer all night long, how the Hokies got back in the game and the epic collapse in the final minutes that led to another State loss. Watch or listen to the postgame podcast to get all that and more.

NC State football had a busy week in the transfer portal with five new additions in a six-day span, with three more high school commits set to join the program. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack basketball teams went 1-1, with the men's team losing its third in the last four and the women's team staying in the Top 25. Alec Lower of Trinity Road Times will join Cory Smith and James Curle to discuss the additions for football, the men's program's offensive struggles, the women's West Coast swing and the week ahead for both programs. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all that and more!

After fighting back in the second half to tie the game up with 1:29 remaining, a critical turnover by NC State, dunk by Jalen Washington and a block by Washington led to a 63-61 loss for the Pack. Marcus Hill had 20 points and Ben Middlebrooks secured a career-high 14 rebounds, but the Wolfpack slipped to 9-7 overall and 2-3 in ACC play with the loss. Cory Smith and Brian Geisinger break down the Wolfpack's first-half offensive struggles, lack of three-point shooting all game, Hill's huge game, Middlebrooks being the lone big man and how the Pack bungled the final minute in a tough loss to the Tar Heels. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more.

In the first home game of the 2025 portion of the season, NC State found a way to pull out a 66-65 win over Notre Dame to move back to .500 in ACC play. The Wolfpack (9-6, 2-2 ACC) got a combined 29 points from Marcus Hill and Jayden Taylor, who finished a combined 5-of-11 on 3-pointers to mount the comeback inside the Lenovo Center. Cory Smith and Miles Masercola look back on the Pack's strong finish, how State's offense ignited in the second half, strong nights for Taylor and Hill, the continued questions about the point guard position and look ahead to Saturday against UNC-Chapel Hill. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more!

Just when it appeared NC State was going to be ravaged in the secondary by the transfer portal, the Wolfpack has bounced back with three new additions on defense. Meanwhile, the Pack's hoops teams are headed in different directions early in January. Cory Smith and James Curle will discuss exits of four starting defensive backs the additions of Tra Thomas, Jamel Johnson and Jaren Sensabaugh from the portal. The guys will also break down the latest results for men's and women's basketball heading into to another critical week of ACC play. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all of that and more!

NC State fought back on Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, but fell apart offensively in a 77-59 loss to Wake Forest. It was the second straight game where the Wolfpack (8-6, 1-2 ACC) imploded in the second half, only this time it led to a blowout loss after a slow start, too. Cory Smith and Miles Masercola recap the Pack's struggles in the game, why the two-big lineup didn't work against Wake, how State can fix its offensive woes and look at the upcoming week. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all of that and more!

NC State went into Charlottesville and played its best half of basketball in the first half but flopped in the second in a 70-67 loss to the Hoos. The Wolfpack fell to 1-1 in ACC play with the loss and hurt its resumé by falling to a team barely inside the Top 100 in the NET rankings. Cory Smith and Brian Geisinger take a look back on what worked so well in the first half, what led to the second-half collapse, the status of Ben Middlebrooks and where the Pack goes from here after the road loss. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more!

ANNAPOLIS, MD. -- Just when it appeared NC State would win its fourth straight over ECU and finally snap a four-game losing streak in bowl games, the Wolfpack fumbled the bag. Even with two fourth-quarter interceptions from Tamarcus Cooley to gift-wrap the offense a chance to put the game away late, State went conservative and was done in late by a back-breaking 86-yard TD from ECU and interception on the final drive. Cory Smith and Michael Clark look back on the befuddling loss for the Wolfpack, Hollywood Smothers' huge night -- despite not getting a touch in the third quarter -- a rollercoaster ride in the fourth quarter and the brawl with less than one minute left. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more!

The Wolfpack has been active in the transfer portal and on the court in the past week with new additions for football and wins in both men's and women's basketball. Cory Smith and James Curle will recap the week along with a look ahead at the Military Bowl. NC State Athletics also put together a banner year in 2024 with multiple ACC Championships, two Final Four runs, a College World Series and more, so our guys will take a look back at their favorite moments from the year. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all that and more!

 NC State is finally on the board with two transfer offensive linemen committing to the program for the 2025 season. Utah State transfer OT Teague Andersen and North Carolina A&T transfer IOL Brock Stukes have committed to the Pack to add both experience and depth to the Wolfpack's offensive line unit. Cory Smith and Michael Clark discuss the new additions through the portal, how they expect them to fit into the team's plans for 2025, which players remain on the Pack's radar and potential upcoming plans in the portal. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all of that and more!

It's the middle of December and portal talks are heating up for NC State, but the big storyline has been the retaining of players from the 2024 season. The One Pack NIL Collective has announced 20 key players are set to return for 2025 after re-signing, including stars like CJ Bailey, Hollywood Smothers, Jacarrius Peak, Justin Joly, Brandon Cisse, Brandon Cleveland and so many others. Cory Smith and James Curle will break down the latest when it comes to player retention and the transfer portal, early talk surrounding bowl practices, men's and women's hoops playing birds on the road and where both programs are heading near the Christmas break. Watch or listen to the latest weekly podcast to get all of that and more!

LAWRENCE, KAN. -- NC State struggled early in a 75-60 loss to No. 10 Kansas despite getting a big night from the big men. The Wolfpack (7-4, 1-0 ACC) shot less than 37 percent from the field and missed too many free throws early, but it was an awful start to go down 15-0 that doomed the Wolfpack. Cory Smith and Brian Geisinger will discuss the continued early woes for the Pack, how Ben Middlebrooks and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield provided a glimmer of optimism and where the Pack goes now after four non-conference losses to quality opponents. Watch or listen to the latest Postgame Podcast to get all of that and more!

NC State needed heroic shooting yet again from Dontrez Styles and Marcus Hill, but got the job done in a 66-56 win over Coppin State in a game it was favored by 30-plus points. Ben Middlebrooks and Dennis Parker Jr. also finished in double figures, but the Pack got very little from its normal stars. Cory Smith and Charlie Gribble discuss the Pack's slow start, the third straight 15-plus point night from Styles and Hill, what's going on with Michael O'Connell and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield and more. Watch or listen to the latest podcast to get all of that and more!

It's a wild part of the year for NC State with the hoops season getting into full swing, the transfer portal opening up and bowl season incoming. Cory Smith and James Curle will discuss all of that on the first portion of the podcast -- including the departure of Tony Gibson as the defensive coordinator. In the second segment, Stephen Igoe of Hoist the Colours will join the show to preview the Wolfpack's matchup with ECU, what to expect from the Pirates and how this game came to be. Watch or listen to the latest weekly podcast to get all of that and more!